Acetylene generator



June 27, 1933. ALLGRUNN 1,915,349

AGETYLENE GENERATOR Original Filed Aug. 20, 1929 /7 mu l8 1 j g F J 4 [Z 25 5 I I6 -E JL 92 22 w i .1111: .1: f: I t f. t

II I [Iv/LN Patented June 27, 1933 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KENNETH nAiNG LLGRUnN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIVGIRT'OR'TO SIGHT FEED GENERATOR, COMPANY, OF WEST ALEXANDRIA, OHIO, A CORPORATION or I, OHIO ACETYLENE GENERATOR Application filed August 20, 1929, Serial No. 387,230. Renewed ma 13, 1933.

This invention relates to acetylene generators and more particularly to apparatus of this nature which is portable and adapted I for home, farm or other practical and indus- 5 trial use.

The object of the invention is to provide an acetylene generator which is simple in structure, economical to manufacture, .and efiicient in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to reduce to a minimum the absorption of moisture by the carbide supplied into the generating tank of the apparatus before the carbide reaches the water contained in the tank. A

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location, and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring. to the accompanying drawing Figure l is a View, partly in elevation and partly in vertical'central section, of an acetylene generator .embodying the principles of myinvention.

I Fig. 2is an enlarged broken detail sectional view showing the mounting of the carbide container upon the gas generating chamber or tank and embodying the principles of my invention.

In Patent No. 1,627,581 granted May 10, 1927, to WV. C. Swift for portable acetylene generators, there is shown, described, and claimed, a portable acetylene generator comprising essentially a gas generating tank or chamber adapted to contain water in the usual way, and upon which is removably mounted a carbide container with adjustable pressure controlled devices for controlling the supply or delivery of carbide from the carbide conta'iner into the generator tank. By

L reason of the very great affinity which calcium carbide possesses for water and moisture, it has been found that in the use of acety lene generators constructed in accordance with the Swift patent the small particles of carbide which accumulate immediately adjacent the opening from the carbide container into the gas generating tank tend to absorb aqueous vapor and moisture which is contained in the gaseous matter ascending from the generating tank, This absorption of Water or moisture tends to convert the small particles of carbide into a somewhat pulpy mass which fills the area or space between the peripheral surface of the valve employed to control the supply of carbide into the gas generating tank, and the opposed wall or surface in conjunction with which said valve operates. This pasty mass adheres to the surfaces between which it forms, and tends to clog o'r impede the free movement of the valve which controls the communication between the carbide holder and the generating tank. This impedance to the free working of the control valve introduces a very unclesirable' loss of effective control of the ap paratus, leads to irregularities in the pressures generated, and very seriously impairs the safety of the apparatus, as well as causing other troubles and difliculties. It is among the special purposes of my present invention to provide an arrangement by which any aqueous vapor and any gas generated in the tank, and which may be laden with moisture, and which rises from the generating tank into the carbide holder, is caused to precipitate a large part, if not all, of its moisture when it rises up to the region in which the valve which controls the supply into the tank of the carbide is located, so that the gas reaching the area of operation of the carbide feed control valvewill be dry, and the tendency to form a pulpy mass avoided. -Many specifically different structures may be employed for accomplishing this result. I have shown a simple arrangement which I have found in practice to be efficient for the purpose; In carrying out my invention I employ a carbide container 10 having the end closure caps 11 and 12 and a generator tank 13 adapted to contain the water and into which the carbide is delivered from the container under portion 114: which extends through the open end of the generator chamber 13 when the carbide container 10 is mounted upon and supported by the upper open end of said chamber 13. This contracted neck lt is provided with an opening 15 therethrough. In this opening operates the end portion 16 of a rod 17, which is freely suspended within the carbide chamber 10, and is provided near the end portion 16 thereof with an annular V-shaped groove 18. This constitutes, in effect, a valve structure, which, under the usual and Well known operation of adjustable pressure control, effects the control of the supply of carbide through the opening 15 or 15 and into'the generator tank. The carbide container 10 may be mounted and detachably or removably secured in place upon the upper end of the generating tank 13, in any suitable, well known, or convenient manner. f I 7 J p r The details so far referred to do not constitute, in and of themselves, any part of my present invention except as they enter into co-operative relation with the features constituting my invention.

Suitably mounted within the generator 13 at its upper or carbide receiving end, and, preferably, in concentric relation with respect to the opening into the tank 13 into which the restricted neck portion 14 of the carbide chamber extends, is a conically shaped, open ended, tubular member 22. It is into the interior of this conical member 22 that'the tapering restricted or constricted neck ortion 14 of the closurecap 12 extends. arried by the inner end of the member22 is a tubular extension 23, which, telescopes over the inner end of the member 22, so that the lower edge of the member 22 forms a shoulder Within the upper open end of the tubular member 23. The member 23 is supported by being welded or otherwise secured to the lowerend of the member 22. The member 22 may be supported in any suitable manner at is upper end upon the upper open end of the-tank13. A'simple arrangement is shown wherein the upper end of the member 22 is annularly flanged, the flange thereof resting upon a ring 34: secured within the upper end of the chamber 13.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the acetylene gas generated by the, reaction which takes place within the chamber 13 when carbide is supplied into the water containedtherein, the gas collects in the upper part of the chamber. Of course, this gas is more or less laden with, or contains, aqueous vapor or water, and it not only fills the space in the upper end of chamber 13 above the surface of the water but such gas also risesthrough the bores of members 23 and22 and gains access, more or less,through the space. 15 and into the carbide container 10. If the gas entering the carbide container contains any appreciable moisture it would instantly be absorbed, particularly by the fine particles of carbide which may be collected in or occupy the space around and in the vicinity of the valve rod 16, or adjacent the opening 15, with the result that a past mass would be formed at this Point whic tendsto clog up and prevent the eflicient uniform feed of the carbide from the container 10 into the generating chamber 13. Not only this, but it also imposes an increased resistance to the operation of the valve rod 16, that is, a surface frictional resistance to the free operation of the rod having the annular groove 18 and the end portion 16. This prevents the proper functioning of the tensioning devices which control the operation of said valve, and, hence, danger is incurred by the failure of the pressure control devices to perform their, function of creating the hazard and peril of explosion and injury. However, by reason of the members 22 and 23, disposed as above described, the vapor contained in the gas entering the bores of said members from the space surrounding them, will tend to condense upon the inner surface, first, of the lower member 23 and, then, on the inner surface of the upper member 22. The general tendency is for the, gases to follow along the inner surfaces of these mem-- bers 23, 22, and this aids in the deposit of the condensation upon said surfaces. The shoulder 25 formed by the lower end of the upper member 22 telescoping into the upper end of the lower member 23, increases the precipitating and .condensing action. Any condensation or precipitation of moisture on the inner surface of the upper member 22 will slide down that surface and drip back into the tank 13 without traveling down the inner surface ofthelower member 23. In this manner the gas is dried to an extent adequate to prevent the forming of a pulpy mass through combination of the moisture content thereof with the fine particles of carbide within thespace through which the valve member 16' operates, and,hence, by myinvention the safety factor of theapparatus, as a whole, is enormously increased, as well as the ease of its operation and the accuracy and dependability of its pressure adjustments.

Havingnow set forth the objects and nature of my invention, and a structure embodying the principles thereof, what I claim as new and useful, and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an acetylene gas generator, a gas generating tank, a carbide container communieating and delivering thereinto, and avalve mechanism to control the supply of carbide into. said tank, in combination with means to remove aqueous vapor from the gas generated in the tank, at a point adjacent the point of communication between said container and tank, said means comprising a conically shaped member surrounding said point of communication, a; supplemental tubular member forming an extension of the latter, and said first mentioned member te1escoping into the open end of the auxiliary tubular member to form a shoulder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this sixteenth day of March A. D., 1929.

KENNETH LAING ALLGRUNN. 

